Craig Munro
@crunro.bsky.social
Politics man for the UK's biggest newspaper, Metro. You can get in touch with me at craig.munro@metro.co.uk
Subscribe to the Alright, Gov? newsletter – all your friends and neighbours already have, and they're wondering what's taking you so long.
Subscribe to the Alright, Gov? newsletter – all your friends and neighbours already have, and they're wondering what's taking you so long.
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Craig Munro
@crunro.bsky.social
· Dec 19
Alright Gov
Straight-talking analysis from inside Westminster.
metro.co.uk
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Huge turnout for Jacob Rees Mogg at the Reform party conference
September 6, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Huge turnout for Jacob Rees Mogg at the Reform party conference
Reform chairman David Bull a little late arriving for his welcome speech at the party conference – can imagine he's writing up a reaction to the Rayner news
September 5, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Reform chairman David Bull a little late arriving for his welcome speech at the party conference – can imagine he's writing up a reaction to the Rayner news
Unfortunate comma placement for Reform's chairman in the conference agenda
September 5, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Unfortunate comma placement for Reform's chairman in the conference agenda
Last weekend, two men in homemade English flag balaclavas were filmed running around Walsall in the West Midlands, painting red crosses on white surfaces.
On social media, they were called 'absolute idiots' by some - but others said they were 'saving the country'.
(Pics from SWNS)
On social media, they were called 'absolute idiots' by some - but others said they were 'saving the country'.
(Pics from SWNS)
August 28, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Last weekend, two men in homemade English flag balaclavas were filmed running around Walsall in the West Midlands, painting red crosses on white surfaces.
On social media, they were called 'absolute idiots' by some - but others said they were 'saving the country'.
(Pics from SWNS)
On social media, they were called 'absolute idiots' by some - but others said they were 'saving the country'.
(Pics from SWNS)
🚨BREAKING: Donald Trump announces he will present Michael Crawford, best known as Frank Spencer from Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, with a Kennedy Center Honor later this year.
August 13, 2025 at 5:06 PM
🚨BREAKING: Donald Trump announces he will present Michael Crawford, best known as Frank Spencer from Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, with a Kennedy Center Honor later this year.
Israeli leader of the opposition (and former PM) Yair Lapid tells the Foreign Affairs Committee "I don't know if we'll ever know for sure" how much damage the US bombs did to Iran's nuclear capabilities, and says "some" uranium was "smuggled" away before strikes
June 24, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Israeli leader of the opposition (and former PM) Yair Lapid tells the Foreign Affairs Committee "I don't know if we'll ever know for sure" how much damage the US bombs did to Iran's nuclear capabilities, and says "some" uranium was "smuggled" away before strikes
EXCLUSIVE: There are no plans to make a waxwork of Keir Starmer at Madame Tussauds – because they can't be sure he'll be relevant for long enough
metro.co.uk/2025/06/04/n...
metro.co.uk/2025/06/04/n...
No Tussauds waxwork for Starmer over fears he won't be relevant in five years
metro.co.uk
June 4, 2025 at 9:43 AM
EXCLUSIVE: There are no plans to make a waxwork of Keir Starmer at Madame Tussauds – because they can't be sure he'll be relevant for long enough
metro.co.uk/2025/06/04/n...
metro.co.uk/2025/06/04/n...
Have a look at my thoughts from today – and why I reckon Reform actually are here to stay
metro.co.uk/2025/05/02/r...
metro.co.uk/2025/05/02/r...
Reform's rise isn't just a protest vote - it might be permanent
Will Reform be able to take advantage of its success?
metro.co.uk
May 2, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Have a look at my thoughts from today – and why I reckon Reform actually are here to stay
metro.co.uk/2025/05/02/r...
metro.co.uk/2025/05/02/r...
Quite a few seats remaining in the arena where Nigel Farage is launching the Reform UK local election campaign
March 28, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Quite a few seats remaining in the arena where Nigel Farage is launching the Reform UK local election campaign
We're now running 50 minutes late at Reform UK's big local elections campaign launch – I'm told it's due to protesters outside
March 28, 2025 at 7:20 PM
We're now running 50 minutes late at Reform UK's big local elections campaign launch – I'm told it's due to protesters outside
Writing in Metro, Jeremy Corbyn has slammed the government's decision to boost defence spending
"To me, what they really mean is that taxpayers' money will be paid directly to arms companies. These are the only victors of war."
metro.co.uk/2025/03/05/j...
"To me, what they really mean is that taxpayers' money will be paid directly to arms companies. These are the only victors of war."
metro.co.uk/2025/03/05/j...
Jeremy Corbyn: Keir Starmer says there's no money - I don't believe him
The government cites 'difficult choices' when they are harming the most vulnerable, but increasing defence spending is apparently easy.
metro.co.uk
March 5, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Writing in Metro, Jeremy Corbyn has slammed the government's decision to boost defence spending
"To me, what they really mean is that taxpayers' money will be paid directly to arms companies. These are the only victors of war."
metro.co.uk/2025/03/05/j...
"To me, what they really mean is that taxpayers' money will be paid directly to arms companies. These are the only victors of war."
metro.co.uk/2025/03/05/j...
Happy St David's Day – why not mark it by reading my interview with Lord Kinnock for Labour's 125th birthday?
Also featuring two other Welsh giants of 20th century politics in Nye Bevan ("the best of the human race") and Roy Jenkins ("impressive but self-indulgent")
metro.co.uk/2025/02/27/n...
Also featuring two other Welsh giants of 20th century politics in Nye Bevan ("the best of the human race") and Roy Jenkins ("impressive but self-indulgent")
metro.co.uk/2025/02/27/n...
Neil Kinnock spills the beans on 125 years of Labour Party history
The former Labour leader spoke to Metro about Keir Starmer, Aneurin Bevan, and the worst moment in Labour history.
metro.co.uk
March 1, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Happy St David's Day – why not mark it by reading my interview with Lord Kinnock for Labour's 125th birthday?
Also featuring two other Welsh giants of 20th century politics in Nye Bevan ("the best of the human race") and Roy Jenkins ("impressive but self-indulgent")
metro.co.uk/2025/02/27/n...
Also featuring two other Welsh giants of 20th century politics in Nye Bevan ("the best of the human race") and Roy Jenkins ("impressive but self-indulgent")
metro.co.uk/2025/02/27/n...
Seems Starmer managed to contradict both Trump – saying European countries won't be repaid their Ukraine support – and Vance – saying the UK is proud of its tradition of free speech – with very little pushback
February 27, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Seems Starmer managed to contradict both Trump – saying European countries won't be repaid their Ukraine support – and Vance – saying the UK is proud of its tradition of free speech – with very little pushback
The prime minister himself will be making a ministerial statement in the House of Commons at 12.30pm today – quite an unusual sight.
The topic is defence and security, so we can probably expect Ukraine to come up ahead of his Trump visit later this week. But we'll have to wait an hour to find out
The topic is defence and security, so we can probably expect Ukraine to come up ahead of his Trump visit later this week. But we'll have to wait an hour to find out
February 25, 2025 at 11:34 AM
The prime minister himself will be making a ministerial statement in the House of Commons at 12.30pm today – quite an unusual sight.
The topic is defence and security, so we can probably expect Ukraine to come up ahead of his Trump visit later this week. But we'll have to wait an hour to find out
The topic is defence and security, so we can probably expect Ukraine to come up ahead of his Trump visit later this week. But we'll have to wait an hour to find out
BREAKING: Donald Trump has lashed out at Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a "dictator" and a "moderately successful comedian" in a post on Truth Social
"I love Ukraine, but Zelensky has done a terrible job"
"I love Ukraine, but Zelensky has done a terrible job"
February 19, 2025 at 4:07 PM
BREAKING: Donald Trump has lashed out at Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a "dictator" and a "moderately successful comedian" in a post on Truth Social
"I love Ukraine, but Zelensky has done a terrible job"
"I love Ukraine, but Zelensky has done a terrible job"
John Healey at the IfG on the US backstop in Ukraine: "It is only the US that can provide the deterrent to Putin that will prevent him attacking again."
Says the detail is "being developed", but he won't go into it as "the one thing I don't want to do is make Putin any wiser"
Says the detail is "being developed", but he won't go into it as "the one thing I don't want to do is make Putin any wiser"
February 18, 2025 at 10:06 AM
John Healey at the IfG on the US backstop in Ukraine: "It is only the US that can provide the deterrent to Putin that will prevent him attacking again."
Says the detail is "being developed", but he won't go into it as "the one thing I don't want to do is make Putin any wiser"
Says the detail is "being developed", but he won't go into it as "the one thing I don't want to do is make Putin any wiser"
Government spox responds to group of Labour MPs calling for four-day week to be included in the Employment Rights Bill:
"We have no plans to manage a four-day work week for five days' pay – not in government nor in any other sector.
(cont'd)
"We have no plans to manage a four-day work week for five days' pay – not in government nor in any other sector.
(cont'd)
February 11, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Government spox responds to group of Labour MPs calling for four-day week to be included in the Employment Rights Bill:
"We have no plans to manage a four-day work week for five days' pay – not in government nor in any other sector.
(cont'd)
"We have no plans to manage a four-day work week for five days' pay – not in government nor in any other sector.
(cont'd)
Wouldn't mind a job as the newly announced Canadian fentanyl czar – stop a kilogram every three weeks or so and you're dandy
February 3, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Wouldn't mind a job as the newly announced Canadian fentanyl czar – stop a kilogram every three weeks or so and you're dandy
Ach, David Lynch. I'll try to track down Dune tonight, which will mean I've watched every movie he's made. I'll miss the way he saw the world.
January 16, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Ach, David Lynch. I'll try to track down Dune tonight, which will mean I've watched every movie he's made. I'll miss the way he saw the world.
BREAKING: Tulip Siddiq is OUT as economic secretary to the Treasury and city minister
January 14, 2025 at 4:10 PM
BREAKING: Tulip Siddiq is OUT as economic secretary to the Treasury and city minister
I spoke to human rights activist Laila Soueif yesterday about her most personal and difficult campaign yet – a hunger strike outside Downing Street, calling for the PM to ramp up pressure on the Egyptian government so they will free her son from prison.
metro.co.uk/2025/01/14/i...
metro.co.uk/2025/01/14/i...
'I will keep up Downing Street hunger strike until my son is free or I collapse'
Laila Soueif is 107 days into a hunger strike calling for the release of her son, British citizen Alaa Abd El-Fattah.
metro.co.uk
January 14, 2025 at 10:22 AM
I spoke to human rights activist Laila Soueif yesterday about her most personal and difficult campaign yet – a hunger strike outside Downing Street, calling for the PM to ramp up pressure on the Egyptian government so they will free her son from prison.
metro.co.uk/2025/01/14/i...
metro.co.uk/2025/01/14/i...
Labour MP Jess Asoto has called out Reform MPs for not turning up to today's debate on violence against women and girls
Says Jess Phillips "has done more for abused women than anyone at X, or anyone in the party opposite that does not appear to be here today".
Says Jess Phillips "has done more for abused women than anyone at X, or anyone in the party opposite that does not appear to be here today".
January 9, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Labour MP Jess Asoto has called out Reform MPs for not turning up to today's debate on violence against women and girls
Says Jess Phillips "has done more for abused women than anyone at X, or anyone in the party opposite that does not appear to be here today".
Says Jess Phillips "has done more for abused women than anyone at X, or anyone in the party opposite that does not appear to be here today".
There's a lot of heat around yesterday's vote on the Children's Wellbeing Bill – I tried to explain why it's more complex than it may appear in my latest Alright Gov newsletter.
Subscribe here: metro.co.uk/newsletters/...
Subscribe here: metro.co.uk/newsletters/...
January 9, 2025 at 10:09 AM
There's a lot of heat around yesterday's vote on the Children's Wellbeing Bill – I tried to explain why it's more complex than it may appear in my latest Alright Gov newsletter.
Subscribe here: metro.co.uk/newsletters/...
Subscribe here: metro.co.uk/newsletters/...
Starmer very robust in his defence of Jess Phillips after days of attacks from Elon Musk and his followers
January 6, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Starmer very robust in his defence of Jess Phillips after days of attacks from Elon Musk and his followers
Who could Musk have in mind for the next Reform leader? Surely not the man whose videos he's been retweeting the last few days, and who he wants to see released from prison...?
January 5, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Who could Musk have in mind for the next Reform leader? Surely not the man whose videos he's been retweeting the last few days, and who he wants to see released from prison...?